Water-supply system



March 31, 1931 v H. w. ROTTEL 1,

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed Sept 28, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 31,1931.H. w. ROTTEL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM 5 SheetS-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 28, 1929Patented Mar. 31 1931 HERMAN W. ROTTEL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINWATER-SUPPLY SYSTEM Application filed September 28, 1929. Serial No.395,876.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in watersupply systems and refers more particularly to systems wherein a tank isprovided to store a quantity of water under air pressure.

The success of systems of this type depends largely upon the constantmaintenance of the proper proportion of air and water, and as it isimpossible to maintain an exact proportion of air to water as it ispumped into the tank, means must be provided for insuring the presenceof suh'icient air at all times. Heretofore, numerous methods have beenprovided for accomplishing this result,

all of which however, have been. objectionably complicated and subjectto frequent adj ustment.

It is, therefore an object of this invention to provide means forinsuring the proper proportion of air to water in a storage tank of thecharacter described which is simplified in construction and is positivein action.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of means forinsuring the proper proportion of air to water in a storage tank of thecharacter described, which has no connection with the supply pump.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of anauxiliary air charging tank to force air into the storage tank when thewater in the storage tank exceeds a predetermined level.

And a further object of this invention resides in the provision of anair charging means for storage tanks of the character dc scribed whichis operable by water flowing from an overflow outlet in the storagetank.

WVith the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated two complete examplesof the physical embodiment of my invention constructecl according to thebest modes I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view with parts broken away and in section ofan air charging apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through Figure l on the plane of theline 22;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view with parts brokenaway and illustrating the valves and their actuating means, said Viewbeing taken on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 4:;

Figure 4,- is an enlarged fragmentary detall view similar to Figure 2with parts broken away and in section to illustrate structural details;and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a slightly modified form of myinvention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichlike numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 6 represents a conventional air and water storage tank having aninlet 7 connecting it with a pump or other means of supply, not shown,and an outlet 8 connected with the water distribution system, also notshown. An overflow outlet 9 is also provided and is so positioned thatwhen the water level in the tank reaches the same, the desiredproportion of air to water will be attained.

The overflow outlet 9 which consists of a short section of pipe 10 towhich a s} 1eciai T fitting 11 is connected, is communicated with theinterior of an air charging or auxiliary tank 12 through a pipe line 13,in a manner to be later described.

The auxiliary or air charging tank 12 is completely closed and ismounted between upright bracket members 14 for pivotal movement for apurpose to be later described. The bracket members 14 have their lowerends fixed to a base 15 and their upper ends are enlarged to formshelves 16, for the reception of bearing members 17 and 18 in which atransverse shaft idextending through the auxiliary tank is journaled.The bearing member 17 is of any suitable construction and the bearingmember 18 forms a valve housing.

The shaft 19 consists of a section of pipe 20 extended diametricallyacross the tank 12 and welded or otherwise secured in aligned aperturesin its opposite walls. That end of the pipe 20 adjacent the bearingmember 17 is closed by a solid stub shaft 21 fixed in the pipe andprojected beyond the end thereof to be received in the bearing 17. Theopposite open end of the pipe 20 is journaled in the rear wall 22 of thevalve housing 18 to communicate its interior with the interior of thetank 12 through a plurality of apertures 23 formed in the medial portionof the pipe. A conventional packing gland 24 mounted in the rear wall 22provides a fluid tightjoint between the wall and the pipe.

The valve casing 18 is substantially cylindrical and is closed by anouter cover 25 secured to its flanged marginal edge 26 by screws 27 orthe like. The cylindrical wall 28 of the casing is provided, atdiametrically opposite points, with a valve chamber 29 and a bearingportion 30.

The valve chamber 29 has inner and outer substantially horizontal wallswhich are the valve casing 18 and receives the adjacent end of the pipeline 13 to communicate therethrough with the overflow drain The interiorof the tank 12 thusoommunicates with the overflow through the pipe line13, the valve chamber 29, the valve casing, and the pipe 20.

As stated, the valve seat 33 is of tubular construction having a centrallarge bore and a small bore 36 in its closed end to form a guide for thestem 37 of a valve 38. A plurality of radial apertures 39 are formed inthe wall of the seat 33. The valve 38 is of conventional constructionand is yieldably urged to closed position by an expansive spring 40confined between the end 01 the valve seat 33 and a pin 41 carried bythe valve stem. The action of the spring 40, however, is opposed and thevalve maintained in open position during the time the tank 12 is in itsnormal position, by a stop member 42 fixed to the end of the pipe 20within the valve casing. The lowermost end of the valve 38 is providedwith radial fins 43 which are received in a suitable aperture in the capmember 34 to guide the movement of the valve, as will be readilyapparent.

The stop member 42, being fixed to the end of the pipe 20, is thus rigidwith respect to the tank 12 to be movable therewith and comprises twooppositely extended arms 44 and 45. The arm 44 engages the end of thevalve stem 37 to hold the valve 38 open and the arm 45 engages the endof the stem 46 of a second valve 47 which normally connects the interiorof the tank 12 with the interior oi the storage tank in a manner nowabout to be described.

The valve 47 is similar in construction to the valve 38 and is mountedwithin a housing 48 supported from the casing 18 by a short section ofpipe 49 whose lowermost end is threaded in the projecting portion 30 ofthe annular wall of the casing. The valve stem 46 however isconsiderably longer than the stem 37 and passes through the pipe 49,being guided for movement by an aperture 50 in the inner wall of theportion 30.

The valve seat 51 with which the valve 4? cooperates is also of tubularconstruction similar to the seat 33 and is mounted within the housing 48to divide the interior thereof into an upper chamber 52 and a lowerchamber 53. The lower chamber 53 comu'iunicates with the interior of thetank 12 through a flexible hose 54 andthe upper chamber 52 is connectedwith the interior of the storage tank 6 above the water level by a pipeline One end or" the pipe line 55 is threaded in an aperture in thehousing 48 and the other end has a special fitting 56 fixed theretowhich connects it with the T fitting 11. The special fitting 56 however,is not in communication with the interior of the T fitting, but has oneend of a right angle section of pipe 57 fixed thereto, whose other openend is directed upwardly to project above the water level and connectsthe pipe line 55 with the tank interior thereabove.

Under normal conditions, that is as long as sufficient air is present inthe storage tank 6 and the water level does not rise above the overflow9, the tank 12 is inoperative and remains in its normal horizontalposition at which position it is held by counter-balance weights 58 and59. The weights 58 and 59 are connected with the tank by an arm 60 curedto the outermost end of the section of solid shaft 21, the weight 58being adjustably mounted on the arm ()0 and the weight 59 beingconnected with the arm through a link 60 pivotally connected with thearm 60 a" eitherof a number of points along its length.

The position of the weights with respect to the tank is calculated tomaintain the mechanism in its normal position until the tank 12 isfilled with water from the overflow 9, and when the tank is filled itoverbalauces the weights and tilts to its dotted line positionillustrated in Figure 1. As the water out the tank 12 the air therein isn *cessarily displaced and forced through the pipe line 55 into thestorage tank.

To insure the auxiliary tank remaining in its horizontal positionsufiiciently long to force practically all of the air therein into thestorage tank, a partition wall 81 formed therein at a point spacedslightly from the end which is lowermost when the tank is tilted, todivide the interior of the tank into compartments 62 and 63,respectively. The position of the partition 61 is such that the tankwill remain in its horizontal position until the entire compartment 62is filled and the water level therein reaches a small. opening 64 at thetop of the partition 61 which then permits the water to flow into thesmaller compartment 63. As the compartment 63 fills, the equilibrium ofthe tank 12 is destroyed and it swings to its dotted line positionillustrated in Figure 1.

Simultaneous with the tilting of the tank 12, the stop member 42 turnsin a counterclockwise direction to release the energy of the springs ofthe valves 38 and 17 to permit them to close their respective valves.The interior of the tank 12 is thus cut oil from communication with thestorage tank 6. A

. drain valve 65 and an air inlet valve 66 are also opened by thetilting of the tank, to permit the water to be drained therefrom.

The outlet valve 65 communicates with the small compartment 63 and iscontrolled by a weight 67 mounted on a lever 68 medially pivoted, as at69, from a member 70. The member 7 0 is mountedon the outer end of a cap71 threaded on a tubular member welded or otherwise fixed to theadjacent end wall of the tank and having its inner peripheral edgeformed with a valve seat with which the valve 65 cooperates. The stem 73 of the valve 65 is extended axially through apertures in the cap 71and the member 70 to be connected at its outer end with the short arm ofthe lever 68.

The position of the weight 67 and the in clination of the lever 68 issuch that when the tank 12 is in its normal horizontal position, thevalve 65 is maintained closed and when the tank is tilted it is opened.The cap 71 has a. plurality of radial apertures in which outlet tubes 7aare secured to conduct the water passing through the open valve 65outwardly, as will be readily apparent. i

- After the tank hastipped the water drains therefrom into .asubstantially rectangular pan 75 mounted on arms 76 which are pivoted,as at 77, between upstanding brackets 78. The opposite ends of the arms76 have a weight 79' fixed thereto which is heavier. than the pan 75 andnormally maintains the same in an elevated position a stop 80 beingprovided to hunt its movement. As thewater flows intothe pan 75 itsincreasing weight overbalances the weight 7 9 and causes the same totilt downwardly to its dotted line position also illustrated inFigure 1. r

The movement of the pan 75 is utilized to lock the tank in its tiltedposition to insure all of the water being drained therefrom before theweights 58 and 59 return it to its normal horizontal nosition.

This is accomplished by a ratchet 81 fixed to the pipe 20 adjacent thetank 12 and with which a pawl 82 cooperates, the pawl 82 being pivotedupon a stud 83 fixed in the rear wall of the valve casing 18. An arm 84:extends from the pawl 82 and is connected at its outer end with avertical rod 85 whose lowermost end is pivotally connected with the arms76 carrying the pan 75 by a shaft 86, as best illustrated in Figure 2.

From this it follows that as the pan 75 tilts downwardly the rod 85moves the pawl into engagement with the ratchet 81 and thus preventsclockwise rotation of the ratchet and the tank. T0 cushion the movementof the pan 75 and to prevent damage to the pawl and the ratchet, aspring 86 is confined between the upper face of the extended arm 84: anda pin 87 fixed in the upper end of the rod 85, a pin 88 secured in a rodbeneath the arm 84 insuring the disengagement of the pawl from theratchet upon upward movement of the rod 85. i

The pan 75 has an upstanding overflow pipe 89 whose top is so positionedthat when the pan is fill-ed the water will flow therethrough into thebase 15 from which it may be drained in any desired manner. Anadditional drain opening 90 at the lowermost portion of the pan when inits tilted position permits all of the water to drain from the pan. Thisopening however is comparatively small to retard the fiow of water fromthe pan which thus holds the tank 12 in its tilted position until all ofthe water is drained therefrom. In returning to its normal horizontalposition, the movement of the tank 12 is arrested by a stop 91 in theform of a yoke 92 supported by an upright rod 93 having its lower endthreaded in the base 15.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 5, the valve casing 18 isreplaced by a bracket member 94 and the transverse shaft 19, one end ofwhich is journaled in the bracket member, is of solid construction. Theair and water valves a7 and 38 are mounted with in housings 95 and 96respectively. The housing 95 is mounted at the upper end of the bracketand communicates with the interior of the tank 12 through the flexiblehose 54 and with the pressure tank 6 through the pipe line 55. Thehousing 96 of the water valve 38 is similarly mounted from a projectingportion 97 of the bracket member and is communicated with the interiorof the tank 12 through a flexible hose connection 98 and with theinterior of the tank 6 through the pipe line 13. i

. Briefly, the operation of the air charging mechanism is as follows: Asthe pressure within the tank 6 falls below the predetermined point thepump which supplies the water and builds up the pressure begins tooperate. As the water level rises the air within the tank 6 compressesand if an insufficient amount of air is present the water will continueto rise until it reaches the overflow 9. If the pump action is notinterrupted, at this point its continued operation causes the water toflow through the overflow 9 into the auxiliary tank 12 and as the waterflows into the tank 12 the air therein is forced into the storage tank6.

If the proper pressure is reached before the tank fills with water theoperation of the pump will be interrupted before the tank 12 tilts, butif this critical pressure is not reached until after the tank ispractically filled with water and all of the air therein is forced intothe tank 6, the tank 12 will over-balance to its substantially verticalposition.

This movement of the tank 12 closes off communication between the tank 6and the tank 12 and opens the outlet valve and the air inlet or reliefvalve (56. The water then begins to drain from the tank 12 into the panto cause the ratchet mechanism to function and lock the tank againstreturn movement until it is entirely emptied. As the water flows fromthe tank, it again charged with air and after the ratchet mechanism isreleased, it is returned to its normal position by the weights 58 and59.

The return of the tank to normal horizontal position reconnnunicates itsinterior with the storage tank interior by again opening the valves 38and 17 so that the mechanism is returned to its position ready for thenext operation.

It will be noted that as the tank 12 tilts the weight 59, beingsupported upon a pivoted link, swings toward the axis about which thetank pivots to reduce its effectiveness and facilitate holding of thetank in its tilted position by the ratchet mechanism. It is also notedthat the partition 61 is slightly inclined so that when the tank 12 istilted its outlet opening 6 1 will be at annppermost point, to preventthe trapping of air in the compartment 63.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art towhich an invention of the character described appertains, that I providea novel means of insuring the proper proportions of air to water in astorage tank which operates entirely independent of the pump and whichis of simplified construction and has few movin elements to preclude thepossibility of s cking or otherwise retarding its proper operation.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a storage tank adapted to receive liquid and airunder pressure, of means for introducing air into the storage tank andincluding an auxiliary tank normally filled with air, and means forconducting liquid from the storage tank when it exceeds a predeterminedlevel into the auxiliary tank to force the air therein into the storagetank.

2. The combination with a storage tank adapted to receive liquid and airunder pres sure, of means for introducing air into the storage tank andcomprising an auxiliary tank normally filled with air, and meanscommunicating the interior of the auxiliary tank with the interior ofthe storage tank at different levels whereby liquid in rising beyond thelowermost level flows into the auxiliary tank and causes the air thereinto be forced into the storage tank.

3. The combination with a storage tank adapted to store liquid and airunder pressure, of means for introducing air into the storage tank andcomprising an auxiliary tank, means movably mounting the auxiliary tank,means communicating the interior of the auxiliary tank with the storagetank at differentlevels, whereby liquid in rising beyond the lowermostlevel flows into the auxiliary tank and causes the air therein to beforced into the storage tank, said auxiliary tank moving out of itsnormal position upon being filled with liquid, means whereby thecommunication between the two tanks is closed by said movement of theauxiliary tank, and means whereby the liquid is drained from theauxiliary tank when in said position.

1. The combination with a storage tank of the character described, ofmeans for forcing air thereinto, including an auxiliary tank normallyfilled with air, means pivotally mounting the auxiliary tank, means forfill ing the auxiliary tank with liquid to force the air therein intothe storage tank, means whereby the auxiliary tank swings out of normalposition upon being filled with liquid, and means for retaining theauxiliary tank in its normal position until practically all of the airtherein has been forced into the storage tank.

5. In a device of the character described, a pivotally mounted tanknormally filled with air, means for introducing liquid into the tank toforce the air therein out of the tank, means for yieldably maintainingthe tank in its normal position, said means being overbalanced by thefilling of the tank with liquid to cause the tank to move to anotherposition, and means for insuring the expulsion of practically all of theair within the tank before it overbalances.

6. In a device of the character described, a pivotally mounted tanknormally filled with air, balancing means for maintaining the tank in apredetermined position, means for filling the tank with liquid to expelthe air therein, the tank swinging out of said predetermined positionupon being filled with liquid to a liquid discharging position, andmeans within the tank which causes the same to be substantially filledwith fluid before it swings to said discharging position.

7. In a device of the character described, a tank, means pivotallymounting the tank, said means being located nearer one end of the tankthan the other, balance means counter-acting the longer end of the tankto maintain the same in a predetermined normal position at which it isfilled with air, means for introducing liquid into the tank to expel theair therefrom, said filling of the tank with liquid causing the same toovercome the balance means to tilt the tank out of normal position, andmeans within the tank for preventing the liquid from filling the longestend portion of the tank until practically all of the air therein hasbeen expelled from the tank.

8. In a device of the character described, a tank, means pivotallymounting the tank, said means being located nearer one end of the tankthan the other, balance means counteracting the longer end of the tankto maintain the same in a predetermined normal position at which it isfilled with air, means for introducing liquid into the tank to expel Athe air therefrom, said filling of the tank with liquid causing the sameto overcome the balance means to tilt the tank out of normal position,and a partition formed in the tank adjacent its longest end portion,said partition having an opening at its top whereby liquid entering thetank is prevented from filling said end portion which causes theoverbalancing of the tank until practically all of the air therein hasbeen forced out of the tank.

9. In a device of the character described, an air charging tank, meanspivotally mounting the tank at a point nearer one end han the otherwhereby the longer end of the tank tends to tip it to a substantiallyvertical position, balance means counter-acting said tendency of thelonger end and maintaining the tank in a normal substantially horizontalposition at which it is filled with air, a partition within the tankdividing it into a small and large compartment, the partition beingspaced from the point of pivot approximately the same distance as theshort end of the tank, and means for introducing liquid into the largecompartment to expel the air from the tank, said partition having anopening communicating the two compartments adjacent its top, whereby theliquid flows into the small compartment only after the large compartmcntis practically filled to insure the tank being retained in its normalsubstantially horizontal position until practically all of the airtherein has been expelled, and the filling of the small compartmentincreasing the weight of the longer end of the tank to overcome thebalance means and cause the tank to tip to a substantially verticalposition.

10. In a device of the character described,

a pivotally mounted tank normally filled 'with air, means yieldablymaintaining the tank in a normal substantially horizontal po sition,means for introducing liquid into the tank to expel the air therefrom,means whereby the filling of the tank with liquid causes the same toovercome the balance means and tilt the tank to a substantially verticalposition, means whereby the liquid within the tank is drained therefromwhen the tank reaches said substantially vertical position, and meansfor holding the tank in said substantially vertical position against theaction of the balance means to insure the complete draining of liquidtherefrom before the tank is again returned to its normal substantiallyhorizontal position by the balance means.

11. In adevice of the character described, a pivotally mounted tanknormally filled with air, means yieldably maintaining the tank in anormal substantially horizontal position, means for introducing liquidinto the tank to expel the air therefrom, means whereby the filling ofthe tank'with liquid causes the same to overcome the balance means andtilt the tank to a substantially vertical position, means whereby theliquid within the tank is drained therefrom when the tank reaches saidsubstantially vertical position, and means operable by the liquiddrained from the tank for holding the tank in its substantially verticalposition long i enough to permit all of the liquid to be drained fromthe tank.

12. The combination with a tank adapted to store liquid and air underpressure, of means for introducing air into the tankj when needed,comprising an auxiliary tank,

means pivotally mounting the auxiliary tank, balance means normallymaintaining the auxiliary tank in a predetermined position at which itis filled with air, means communicating the auxiliary tank with thestorage tank whereby the liquid within the storage tank upon risingabove a predetermined level flows into the auxiliary tank and'forces theair therein into the storage tank, means whereby the filling of theauxiliary tank with liquid overcomes the balance means and causes thetank to tilt on its pivotal mounting out of its predetermined normalposition, and means whereby said movement of the auxiliary tank closesthe communication between it and the storage tank and permits the liquidto drain from the auxiliary tank.

- 13. In a device of the character described, a pivotally mounted tanknormally filled with air, means normally maintaining the tank in apredetermined balanced position, means for introducing liquid into thetank to expel the air therefrom, anormally closed liquid outlet valveconnected with the tank, an air inlet valve for the tank, and meanswhereby the tank in filling with liquid tilts out of its normal balancedposition to open the liquid outlet valve and the air inlet valve topermit the liquid to drain from the tank.

{14. The combination with a storage tank adapted to receive air andwater under press'ure, of means for maintaining a predetermined amountof air within the storage tank, including an auxiliary air chargingtank, means for connecting the air charging tank with the storage tank,said auxiliary air charging tank being normally filled with air wherebythe water in the storage tank in rising above a predetermined levelflows through one of the said connecting means into the air chargingtank to force the air therein into the storage tank through another ofsaid connecting means, means pivotally mounting the auxiliary aircharging tank, means for yieldably maintaining the air charging tank inits normal position until it is practically filled with water at whichtime it o'verbalances and assumes a substantially'vertical position,means whereby said movement of the auxiliary tank closes 'saidconnecting means between it and the storage tank, and means for drainingthe water from the auxiliary air charging tank when in a substantiallyvertical position to recharge the same with air; 7

15. In a device of the character described,

a tank, means pivotall'y mountingthe tank air therefrom, the filling ofthe tank with liquid causing it to tip against the ction of its balancemeans to a substantiallyvertical position, means whereby the liquid inthe tank is drained therefrom when in said substantially verticalposition to recharge the same with air, and means for preventing thereturn of the tank to its normal substantially horizontal positionbefore all of the liquid is drained therefrom, said means including anormallyelevated container'which is filled with liquid drained from thetank to cause the same to be lowered by the weight of the liquid.

16. In a device of the character described, a main tank adapted to storeliquid and air under pressure and having an overflow through whichliquid exceeding a predetermined quantity flows, an auxiliarytanknormally filled with air and connected with the overflow to receivethe liquid therefrom, means connecting the auxiliary tank with the maintank above the overflow whereby the air in the auxiliary tank is forcedinto the main tank as the auxiliary tank fills with HERMAN ROTTEL.

